


When Amanda's Parents Come To Town

by AmandaG96



Series: When Amanda's Parents Come To Town [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Drugging, F/M, Grandparents, Heat Stroke, Hideous Decor, Hot, Human, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mother-Father Relationship, Overbearing Mother, Pregnant Amanda, Sleeping Pills, Stress, Vulcan, annoying mother, extreme heat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26009428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmandaG96/pseuds/AmandaG96
Summary: Things get interesting when Sarek surprises his pregnant wife by arranging for her parents to visit Vulcan for a couple of days. What could possibly go wrong when an overbearing, 'my way or the high way' mother visits an extremely hot planet with her suffering husband?
Relationships: Amanda Grayson/Sarek
Series: When Amanda's Parents Come To Town [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1887775
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

So, we learned the hard way that Plomeek soup with a vegetarian beef and onion substitute was not an did not satiate my cravings for beef and onion pie. Thus the next couple of weeks were a struggle as I could only manage only a spoonfuls of Plomeek soup before both my body and the child began to reject it.

Unsurprisingly, I began to lose weight again and the healers immediately ordered that I work from home until a "Solution was found'. Not long after, Sarek informed me that he was able to make arrangements for a huge supply of my latest cravings to arrive from Earth in a couple of days' time.

Three days later, I sat on the sofa with my usual morning cup of Vulcan breakfast tea. With the Vulcan winter now in full swing, I donned a gray ankle length sweater dress as I sat with a book in my lap, the fan on full blast, and the air conditioning at a chilly 19 degrees. Pregnancy really raged havoc with my body's core temperature.

I tried to focus on reading, but my stomach growled with hunger which in turn caused the baby to move around.

"Don't worry, little one. The food will arrive soon and then we will have that beef and onion pie you've been wanting."

My fat red tabby cat came into view and jumped onto the sofa and laid directly on top of the book on my lap below my growing belly and began to demand attention, rubbing his head against my hand. "Hello there, Ambassador." I smiled, stroking the cat.

A loud knock on the door made me jump in my spot which caused Ambassador to bolt down the corridor towards the back of the house.

"I'm coming!" I called out as I walked down the corridor.

Opening the door, my heart dropped in shock. I had expected the face of one of our guards carrying a heavy package, but instead I was greeted with the flushed faces of my mother and father.

My father held a big brown box with sweat pouring down his forehead in dark blue jeans and a short-sleeved T shirt, while my mother held what appeared to be a white basket with a lace overlay on the side.

Her blue ankle length dress seemed to be doing more harm than good when I noticed the non-breathable material. She had oversized black shades over her eyes with her shoulder length curly brown hair frizzed from the humid air. Even though we were in winter on Vulcan, it was still easily in the 30's during the day.

Tears of happiness began to fill my eyes. It had been a year since I had seen them, and here they were.

"Amanda." my mother's voice broke me from thought, "Your father and I are about to pass out, can you please be a good daughter and invite us into the house before we pass out from this dreaded heat on the doorstep?"

I wiped away falling tears of happiness, "Of course, of course." I sniffed, and I stepped aside allowing them in. A million questions flooded my head as I watched them put down the items by the front door and remove their shoes.

One of our guards followed behind holding two bags and placed them by the staircase. I opened my mouth to enquire but was cut off by my mother who wrapped me in a hug. Carefully avoiding my belly, she wrapped her arms so tightly around my shoulders that my back cracked.

"Oh, honey." Squealed my mother with happiness, before pulling away and her voice suddenly changed suddenly full of concern, "Sarek was right - you have lost weight."

"I'm fine Mum, really." I reassured, "How are you? And How did you get here? When did you get here? Why do you have that white basket? Oh and Dad, how are you off work right now and what is in that big brown box?"

My father stepped forward and with a smile wrapped me in a gentle embrace. "You look amazing, bunny." He whispered lightly in my ear before pulling away, "and you can thank your husband, he was able to call my boss and allow me a week-long holiday."

"It was Sarek who flew us out," my mother interjected "He said that you were having a rough time with the pregnancy and that you and I quote 'requested our presence'… oh and he also said that you've had cravings. He sent us a list and we bought all your favorites in that brown box there. And oh my God! Air conditioning!" My mother threw her head back and moaned in ecstasy. "I thought I was going to pass out on the way here. Thank goodness you're human and like air conditioning. Amanda, I can't imagine coming here to visit you without it."

My mother certainly could talk for Earth, couldn't she? I was quite confused seeing the servants begin to take my parents' bags upstairs while another picked up the big brown box and carried it towards the kitchen.

"Oh, my goodness, your belly is getting big!" My mother hands immediately drew to my belly, she bent down and pressed her lips against my bump which immediately filled me with a huge wave of awkwardness, "Hello grandbaby!" My mother cooed louder than necessary, "Grandma is happy to see you and Grandpa too." She looked up at my father added sternly, "Right Herman?"

"Yes, dear." my father said as if it were an automatic programmed response.

"Please come to the kitchen, you guys must be really thirsty."

"Oh my GOD, yes!" My mother made her way back up to her feet and said, "I could drink all the water on this planet it's so hot! Really Amanda, I don't understand why you and Sarek live here. Earth is so much better temperature wise, and did you hear that the president passed a new law regarding the education system…"

Picturing myself on the beach with a glass of wine helped drown out my mother. It was not a secret that she was not a fan of Vulcan, but she never flat out said it, but to me her smart-ass snarky comments were worse. Whether it was the education system, or some new law about interspecies relations she always tried to somehow try and persuade me to convince Sarek to move back to Earth.

Once we arrived in the kitchen my mother plopped down at the kitchen table, while my father followed me to the refrigeration unit. There was finally a moment of silence before my mother's voice bounced off the walls once more,

"Your sister sends her regards. She said she's sorry she can't visit but as you know Bernadette has started kindergarten and she can't leave her."

"Amanda, where do you keep the cups?" my father asked.

"Third cabinet." I replied, taking the water jug out of the refrigeration unit. "That's alright. Perhaps we can see her during our next excursion to Earth."

After retrieving three cups from the cupboard, my father took the water jug from my hand and insisted I sit down.

"Dad, I'm okay, really." I insisted softly. "I'm not a china doll."

I caught a glimpse of my mother using her hand to fan herself. Her complexion was quite pale, and her cheeks were flushed.

"Did you guys receive all of your tri-ox injections before leaving Earth?" I asked, raising my brow in concern for my mother's appearance.

"Of course," she replied "Sarek set up the appointments. Herman, where's the water I'm dying here."

I rose a brow. My husband? My husband did all of this? After a moment, I shrugged. He never ceased to amaze me… and apparently surprise me.

"Coming, dear." My father said flatly.

"You will get used to it; it took me about three days to not feel like I was going to pass out after being outside for more than a minute. Just let me know if you start to vomit or feel nauseous and I will call the doctor. Heat exhaustion is quite common here and he can easily set you up with an IV drip here with some cold fluids."

"Do they only do that for you because you're of high ranking or do they do that for everyone here?" My mother asked.

A wave of annoyance rushed through my chest. After a small sigh I replied "It is very common for the doctor to be called to people's houses here if the medical condition is not critical. I must say, I am quite surprised Sarek had the time to call you. He is a remarkably busy man these days"

My mother stood from the table and made her way over to the counter taking the half full glass of water my father was pouring. "Not that busy it seems." She said, with a voice filled with sarcasm as her eyes glanced down at my belly taking in a large gulp of water.

"Emma!" shouted my father. He would not often chastise my mother, but she did sometimes make inappropriate comments.

"What?! It's true! Your never too busy to make love to your wife."

"Are you guys really staying here for a week?" I asked, wanting desperately to change the conversation.

"Yes, I hope that's okay." My father asked nervously. My father was never a problem, it was always my mother. I wondered if it was wrong of me for wanting my mother to get a hotel and only having my father stay with us for a week. I smiled at my father and opened my mouth to speak, but was, once again, cut off by my mother.

"We thought that we could take care of two while we are here." She swerved around the counter caressed my belly with her hands once more. "Well, the three of you actually."

More awkwardness. I never understood why people felt the need to touch someone's pregnant belly, even if they were family.

"Du hast gedacht" You thought, my father said under his breath.

"Hello granddaughter" my mother cooed to my belly. "Are you being good for your mother in there?"

"Granddaughter?" I asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable with my mother's hands over my belly.

"The newspaper's said that it's a girl. Amanda, why didn't you tell us?"

"Emma, I've already told you not to trust the newspapers." My father said, downing his glass of water.

Taking my mother's cup from the counter, he poured her another glass and offered it to my mother who withdrew her hands from my belly and accepted. I exchanged a thankful look to my father, who wrapped his arm around my shoulder and hugged me close to him.

"Bist du okay, Hasen?" Are you okay, bunny? my father asked softly.

"Ja, es geht mir gut nur wenn ich das, wonach ich mich sehne, haben." Yes, I am good. Only if have what I'm craving.

"Ist das normal?" is that normal?

„Laut der Arzt es ist normal, keine Angst. Alles ist in Ordnung mit dem Kind." According to the doctor, it is normal. Don't worry, all is as it should be with the baby.

„Ich war über dich gefragt. Ich habe gesagt, ob du okay bist." I was asking about you, I asked if you were okay.

I smiled and rested my head gently against his shoulder "Ja, papa. Alles ist gut mit mir." Yes, dad. All is good with me.

"Excuse me!" My mother chastised in a sing song voice, "English. I don't speak German!"

"We know." My father said, everything in my father's demeanour indicated annoyance. I let out a frustrating sigh before continuing with the matter at hand, the tabloids.

"Dad's right, Mum. The truth is, we don't know what we are having and even if we did, we wouldn't tell anyone who would possibly tell the media on Earth."

My father nudged my glass of water to me, and I accepted, drinking the whole glass in a couple of gulps. When I looked up my mother suddenly looked angry, her voice growing more louder with each sentence.

"What are you saying, Amanda? You honestly think that we would tell the tabloids? Do you not trust us?!"

"Mum, I didn't mean-"

"We only gave you life, housed you, bathed you, loved you, paid for 4 years of undergrad and 4 years of your Masters-"

"The tabloids have their ways." I interrupted, "you know this. They can bug your communicators, emails, PADDs. Even if we knew… out of necessity and the need to protect OUR child's privacy… we wouldn't tell anyone until it's born."

That seemed to shut her up. Taking a deep breath to calm my slightly elevated heartrate I turned to my father desperately wanting to change the subject onto a lighter matter.

"And yes, in answer to your previous question, it's perfectly fine that you guys stay here, we have more than enough rooms to accommodate you."

There was a moment of silence before my mother spoke again, with a tinge of anger still prevalent in her voice as she pulled out a chair from the high-top counter and sat down in front of us.

"So, Amanda, when will your husband be home, or are you allowed to tell us that?"

I saw out of the corner of my eye my father shooting a stern look at my mother, I drew in a deep breath as the child began to move in response to my stress and said with confidence "He won't be home until later, and yes I am allowed to tell you that he has an important conference today with Ambassador Sovol"

"Oh yes, he's the Elder of the Council, you know I read that in a magazine. Did you know that him and his wife have been together for 60 years and…"

With my mother continuing to go on and on about these facts, I bent down into the cupboard and pulled out a bottle of Sapporo beer and slid it over to my father. After drinking almost the whole jug of water, I deemed it safe for him to drink it but even if it wasn't… I would have still given it to him. I on the other hand continued to imagine myself on the beach with a glass of wine in hand… and maybe a vodka soda.

"ANYway" my mother finally concluded, "I'm happy we have all day together. I thought that your father and I could make up the nursery for you and Sarek considering how busy you both are all the time. I brought that white bassinet for the baby so that she can stay with you when she's first born in your room."

I shot a glance at my father who at this point in their marriage was just going with the flow, he opened the bottle of beer and took a sip while pouring me another glass of water with his other hand.

"That is kind of you Mum, but Sarek and I have yet to discuss the nursery arrangements and we don't have everything we need yet. Also, it would be wise for you to go upstairs and lay down, you both are very prone to heat exhaustion during the first couple of days on Vulcan."

"Nonsense, I feel as fit as a fiddle!" She proclaimed, "and yes, you do. We bought all the baby stuff for you and Sarek-"

"You what?" I interrupted.

"Yes, of course, It should be coming-"

A loud knock on the door cut my mother off. Wait what? They bought things. My mother rushed out of the kitchen towards the door.

"Just go with it, bunny." my father said, clinking his bottle of beer with my glass of water. My father and I followed my mother and watched as one of the male servants open the door. There was a brief conversation before our guards began to carry big packages came into my home. My mother instructed them to place them in front of the staircase to which the guards looked at me for approval. I gave a nervous nod and watched as they placed them in front of the staircase.

Okay, that does not look like much, I thought to myself, but there was more… oh boy was there more.

Three minutes later, I stood by the staircase and observed as one by one the guards kept placing packages in front of the stairs.

What. The. Hell. Was. This?

I knew better than to include my father in my next question, he never had a say in their marriage.

"Mum…how much did you buy?"

"Everything for our grandchild!" My mother excitedly replied and wrapped her arms around me.

In the end, I was staring at forty-one packages in front of my staircase. I looked up at the servants who stared at the packages and then me. I utter my breath,

"Shit."


	2. Chapter 2

It took twenty-five minutes for the servants to finish carrying everything into the nursery which was located almost directly beside our bedroom. When y mother started barking orders to the Vulcan servants, I took the time to excuse myself telling my mother that I was tired and need to take a nap.

As I closed the bedroom door behind me, I leaned against the door and sighed. I had almost forgotten how overwhelming my mother can be and how she bad she made me feel, no matter what move I made in life.

"No, the crib needs to be here!" I heard my mother bark, "And that needs to be here, aren't you listening!"

Hearing my mother's rudeness forwards the servants made my blood boil. To me, I could handle, but to them… it was unacceptable. What was I to do? I knew if I spoke it would just make matters worse and I was not going to stress myself out anymore over this.

I took in a deep breath and ran my fingers through my long brown curls. I paced the room for about five minutes before sitting down on the bed. Taking a deep breath, I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes, beginning to focus on my breathing in attempt to calm my elevated heartrate.

I did not even realise I had fallen asleep until I had woken up several hours later. Opening the door, I immediately saw my father sitting on the couch in the sitting room, his can of beer in one hand and a glass of water in the other relaxing in front of the fan.

"Hello bunny. How was your nap?"

"It was well, thank you. Um, where's Mum?"

"Here!" My mother called emerging from the nursery, "Oh, Amanda the nursery is ready, and it only took two hours!" She leaned in and whispered, "These Vulcans really build things fast." before proclaiming for me to come and see. Her face possessed no colour except in her cheeks which were as red as a tomato.

"Mum," I said in a concerned tone, "you really need to rest-"

Taking my arm, she pulled me into the room where two male servants were carrying out the last bits of packing paper and cardboard boxes. The white walls were painted a light grey color and directly above the pink and black polka doted crib was the painted words: "WELCOME BABY!"

The room had looked as if a pregnant clown had vomited all over it. Not only did the colours clash but the mixture of vintage and modern furniture made the room look like one of those allusion rooms in a carnival fun house which in turn caused me to become a little disoriented.

As I walked throughout the room, I almost jumped out of my skin upon seeing a rocking chair in the corner of the room. Painted Red, white, blue, and orange there was the face of a creepy looking clown sticking out on the side of the chair. I hated clowns.

The brown rug placed on the floor oddly mimicked the fur of our beloved sehlat I'Chaya and was far too small for the spacious carpet. This and thee large closet full of colourful pink baby clothes threatened to send me overboard. This room was hideous. Absolutely hideous.

I had already begun to make a mental list of all of the things that had to go and how to possibly paint over the grey colour when I turned around and saw the excited look in my mother eyes, and suddenly I felt bad.

She was rude, crazy, and opinionated, but she tried. She tried very hard on his nursery and the more I looked at the nursery the more I realized that all of the love she had for her grandchild was in this nursery.

Even though it looked hideous, I could not possibly bring myself to destroy it… not all of it and not right away, that is.

"It looks… great, Mum." I smiled.

My mother always wanted things her way, I learned growing up just to let her have her way when it came to the simple things to avoid her yelling. Even though this wasn't exactly a simple thing, I decided logically that since she couldn't be here for her grandchild everyday like she wanted, allowing her to have this one thing that she could give to her grandchild would be acceptable.

But that clown rocking chair has got to GO, and the crib colour had got to change, and the words welcome baby has got to go, and the wardrobe of pink dresses and tutus was most definitely a no-no.

She wrapped me in a hug and excitedly rocked me from side to side. "Oh, I'm so glad you like it, pumpkin! I will put the bassinet in your room after lunch, but first you need to eat. I don't want my grandchild going hungry!"

Taking my hand, she walked me out of the nursery and over to the sofa where my father continued to sit and read on his PADD.

"Now sit down. I will put the pies in the oven. The baby needs rest..." Taking my shoulders, she sat me next to my father, "and cold air" and moved the fan away from her husband. She plopped it in front of me on the other side of the coffee table and locked it so that the cold air would blow directly on me. She lifted my feet up on the coffee table and handed me the book on the coffee table.

"Three beef and onion pies coming up." Her voice turned oddly high and there was a high-pitched squeak as she asked, "Is that all my grandchild wants?"

"Oh mein Gott." Oh my god, My father muttered under his breath taking another gulp of beer followed directly by some water.

"The baby is fine, Mum" I reassured, "Thank you. Just the pie will be fine. Dad, is beef and onion okay for you?"

With a disinterested grunt of approval from Dad, my mother turned around and walked down the corridor and down the corridor. I sighed in relief and frustration as rounded the corner and out of view,

"I can't be mad at her." I said to my father, "She means well…right?"

"Of course, she does" my father said, "She's just fucking crazy."

"Agreed."

"I know that nursery looks hideous, but she is very excited." my father's voice softened "It's all she talks about whenever her friends come over, how she is excited that she is going to become a grandmother-"

"But also how her daughter is twelve thousand light years away from her parents on a planet that is completely foreign to her and she won't be able to be there for the birth of her grandchild."

There was a moment of silence before my father said in a light voice, "She worries, bunny. We both do."

"I know, Dad." I sighed, caressing my belly gently. "But she knows why we live here. Sarek is based here and the tabloids on earth are relentless. If I gave birth and raised the child on the Earth, you know that he would be living under a microscope and would have absolutely no privacy. I don't want that for him."

"Him?" My father began to break out in a smile,

"I think it is, but as I said we don't know what it is."

"Well," his voice softened "he will be extremely lucky to have a mother like you. You are patient, kind, loving, understanding, rational… nothing like your mother."

Smiling, I moved closer to my father and laid my head on his shoulder wrapping my arm across his chest. I groaned lightly as the child began to kick, each day he was getting stronger and stronger, and I was reminded with each kick it was only a matter of time before he broke a rib. Almost "certain" according to the Vulcan and Human doctors.

"Bist du okay?" Are you okay?

"Yea, he's kicking."

"Already?"

"He's half Vulcan, Dad." I reminded him, "would you like to feel?"

Taking his glass of water into my hand, I lifted his hand and placed it on my bump. Even though the child was small, his kicks were far from it.

"He's strong, like his mother."

I smiled against his shoulder, "He will be lucky to have you as a grandfather." I said softly.

"Excuse me, Lady Amanda?" A female servant suddenly appeared.

"Yes, T'Pal. Is everything okay?"

"Your mother has collapsed in the kitchen, madam."

"Oh my God, what?!" I moved to get up but was stopped.

"Lady Amanda, I urge you not to worry. Your mother's vital signs are stable, she has been moved upstairs to her accommodation and a doctor has already been called for."

"Do you know if the pies are in the oven?" My father asked.

"Dad!" I chastised.

"Mid meal is in the oven." T'Pal answered flatly.

"Thank you T'Pal. If you could please take some water up to my mother. Please insist that she drinks it all before the doctor gets here."

"Lady Amanda, your mother has not stopped vomiting for a total of two minutes, it is my understanding of the human body that she would be unable to hold any amounts of liquid in her stomach."

Oh, my mother never did things in half measures. I sat back on the sofa and rubbed my temples.

"Thank you T'Pal, please come and get me when the doctor has come. In the meantime, please bring my mother a cold cloth and place it on her forehead. It should help bring her temperature down."

"Yes, Lady Amanda."

Once she was out of view, I sighed and buried my head in my hands. What more could go wrong?

"Would you like to eat your pie?" my father asked, "It should be done by now."

"Damn right!" I bolted to my feet and my father and I made our way to the kitchen taking out the three personal sized portions of pie from the oven. We didn't even notice the doctor's arrival as we tucked into our pies, discussing how I was going to possibly explain the nursery to Sarek as my mother laid upstairs with an IV in her arm recovering from the onset of heat exhaustion.


	3. Chapter 3

"Seriously though, Dad," I sighed, pressing the glass of water up to my lips "How am I gonna explain that nursery to him?"

He shrugged before taking a prolonged drink of water, and said,

"You could always tell him the truth, that your mother is a crazy psychotic witch who came in and took over the nursery without your say."

We lost track of time trying to figure out a solution. I only noticed it was evening when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw my husband walking towards the kitchen. Seven o'clock already?!

"Ah, husband, you're home. How was the conference?"

"Nothing of importance occurred." he declared, stepping over the threshold into the kitchen. Walking over to my father, Sarek held up a ta'al. "Mr. Grayson, I trust that your voyage to Vulcan was satisfactory?"

Manually moving his fingers into the correct position, my father reciprocated, "Live Long and Prosper Ambassador Sarek." Which caused a wave of happiness to rush through my chest.

As you could probably tell, my father was the one to adapt the fastest to having a Vulcan in the family. However, he did have an advantage. Working for the Embassy's intelligence agency, he had worked with Vulcans and different species of the Federation for many years and was accustomed to the basic customs long before meeting Sarek.

My mother, on the other hand, was ignorant.

"The journey was fine, thank you again for calling my boss to push my holiday time through."

Sarek bowed his head slightly before my father continued, "I suppose you heard that my wife failed to listen to your wife when she insisted that she rest and is now upstairs with the doctor suffering from heat exhaustion."

"A common human ailment that your daughter suffered from upon her first trip to Vulcan." Sarek said before glancing at me, then back to my father "I trust that the doctor is with Mrs. Grayson now?"

"Yea, he's up there. I am sure she will be fine though. Our Amanda has had heat exhaustion multiple times in her life, and she turned out just fine, albeit weak, when it comes to the heat as I'm sure you're aware."

"I am well aware of my wife's physical limitations." Sarek assured before turning to me, "And you, my wife. Are you well? I had sensed distress through our martial bond earlier in the day."

My father's brow rose in curiosity at the phrase 'marital bond'. He glanced at Sarek, then at me, then back to Sarek before he suddenly looked down with an embarrassed smirk on his face. "Never mind, I think I know what that means." he muttered.

Reassuringly caressing my father's shoulder, I slid down from the chair and over to the refrigeration unit,

"I am well now, but you must be hungry. Shall I heat up that lasagne for your dinner?"

"Whatever is less trouble for you to prepare, I shall accept gladly."

"On that note, I should leave you two alone."

Taking the lasagne out of the refrigeration unit I whipped around and said, "Oh no Dad, it's okay. You can stay."

"I should go and see your mother anyway. The old bat is probably driving the doctor crazy. You two enjoy some time together." He slid down from his chair with a light groan, "Ooh, gotta get use to that gravity change."

"Yea, it takes a couple days. Tell Mum I'll be up soon."

"Will do."

Watching him leave, I took the plastic covering off the dish of vegetarian lasagne and put it in the oven to heat up. Turning around, my husband held his forefingers out to me which I readily accepted, smiling at the surge of love and calm that rushed through my fingers.

"Are you well?" He asked once more.

"Yea, I'm fine now. I just forgot how overwhelming my mother can be." And, like vomit, it all came out. I explained everything, the nursery, the baby gifts, the way she treated the servants, and her refusal to listen to me which resorted in her collapsing and vomiting in the kitchen from heat exhaustion.

"I had noticed your elevated heartrate and higher levels of irritability whenever you are in the presence of your mother."

"Yea, she always wants things her way. Anyway, I do want to thank you for flying them out and arranging their tri-ox injections… and giving them a list of my cravings, those pies are amazing!"

"I am pleased that you are able to eat again."

When the bell went off on the timer, I removed the lasagne from the oven and once I removed the empty plates already on the placemats, I placed his plate on the counter and joined him at his side. I continued to talk as he ate his dinner stating how once my parents are gone that we needed to change it. Once I began to mention the girly pink tutus and dresses in the small wardrobe is when he stopped eating for a second to glare at me.

"I know right. We should probably consider just getting some neutral-coloured onesies."

I took a deep breath, finally relieved to get it all off my chest.

"Amanda!" I heard my father call from the top of the stairs. "Amanda, die Hexe möchte dir zu sehen" Amanda, the witch would like to see you.

"Why does your father refer to your mother as 'a witch'? Is that not a derogatory term in that context?"

"Yep." I said with a sigh, jumping down from the high-top chair. "You know how my parents are. Coming Dad!" I caressed Sarek's shoulder gently before walking out of the kitchen and to the staircase. I spoke to my father who stood at the top of the stairs, leaning over the railing.

"If she is angry, I won't see her."

"Sie ist nicht böse, Hase. Sie wünsche, dass du sich sehen, weil der Arzt ihren IV herausdrehen" She is not angry, bunny. She wishes you see her because the doctor is taking out her IV.

"Why am I not surprised?" I muttered to myself. Lifting my dress, I walked up the stairs and met my father at the top.

In the guest bedroom, my mother laid on the bed with white cloths on her forehead, wrists, and ankles. To her left, the doctor was by her arm, preparing to remove the IV. Walking to the opposite side of the bed, I climbed into the king size beg and stroked her head gently. Sympathy, that was all she wanted.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked.

She nodded and managed a small smile. "Does…Sarek like the nursery?"

One whiff of her breath caused me to whip my head to the side. Jesus, did it smell.

"I haven't showed him yet." I finally said.

"And all done!" The doctor proclaimed. I looked up the see him wrapping the used needle into some bandages before placing it in his bag.

"Lady Amanda, I have instructed your mother to stay inside for the next forty-eight hours. After heat exhaustion one is prone to a repeat episode and sun stroke. When I arrived her body temperature was one hundred and three."

That was extremely high indeed, I knew that anything above one hundred and four degrees is considered sun stroke and it did make me concerned knowing just how close she came to getting it in my house.

"Do you hear that Mum? You need to rest."

"Yes, I heard." She muttered in a groggy voice, "I'm not deaf."

Leaving my mother to rest, my father and I escorted the doctor out of the room and down the stairs where we met Sarek, who was standing in front of the door.

"Thank you for your assistance, Doctor" He said, opening the door.

"My pleasure, Ambassador Sarek. Please ensure that Mrs. Grayson stay in bed for the next 48 hours, as I have told your wife she will be delegate for the next 48 hours."

After seeing him out, my father and I managed an exhausted sigh before turning around, hearing a commotion from the staircase. We both sighed simultaneously in defeat upon seeing my mother walk down the stairs. I opened my mouth to say something but was immediately cut off.

"Sarek, you must come see the nursery! Herman and I have worked all day on it."

"You did." My father muttered under his breath.

"Amanda has briefed me on the child's living accommodation." Sarek said, simply.

"Yes, but you haven't seen it with me yet." My mother wrapped her arms around Sarek and thanked him with squeals of happiness for flying them out and for housing them. Sarek stood completely still with his hands still clasped behind his back.

"Ugh Mum, he doesn't hug, remember?"

"Nonsense!" She said before pulling away, "He's my son-in-law and a member of this family. He has to deal with my hugging." When she pulled him back into an embrace, Sarek pulled away.

"Is it not wise for you to follow the healer's advice? He has instructed that you rest for forty-seven hours to avoid the risk of further-"

"Now don't you go telling me what to do now, I am a grown woman of fifty-four years old. A little heat exhaustion isn't going to bring me down. Especially since I only have five days with my baby." her hands cradled my belly, "And daughter, of course."

She then took Sarek by the arm and pulled him down the corridor explaining that he simply must see this and something about it being the 'best looking nursery on Vulcan'. Deciding it was best to keep quiet, my father and I trailed behind and watched as she continued to guide my husband down the corridor and to the nursery.

"Well," my mother asked, before turning on the light, "What do ya think?"

It was almost as worse the second time seeing it. After three minutes of silence, I finally managed to look over at my husband, desperate if the sight of the horribly decorated nursery had broken his logic. To my surprise, he stared blankly into the room and said nothing. Even with decades of training, I could not for the life of me see how he was able to keep a straight face looking at this nursery. I reached out to him through our bond and immediately sensed confusion.

"Mrs. Grayson," Sarek began, before being cut off by my mother

"Emma. I've told you to call me Emma since we first met, and I meant it"

He paused for a moment before continuing "Mrs. Grayson, it is my understanding that upon decorating the living quarters of one's accommodation that the colours-"

"It's perfect, Mum." I blurted, turning to Sarek. "You think it's great, don't you?"

Sarek's brow rose in confusion, but soon relaxed back to his usual expression before turning back to my mother and simply nodding. My mother squealed with happiness and wrapped her arms around his neck,

"Thank goodness you like it!" she squealed, before pulling away seconds later.

Turning to me, she took me by the shoulders, "Now, off to bed you go. It is getting late. You need to rest, the baby needs rest."

Guiding me into the bedroom, she sat me down on the bed.

"Mum, it is only eight o'clock and I'm not tired."

"You may not be tired, but the baby is. Now, feet up."

She propped my feet onto the bed and manually removed the bracelets from my wrists and slippers from my feet. After adjusting the temperature in the room to a chilly fifteen degrees, she pulled the covers over my body.

"Goodnight, Pumpkin." She whispered, kissing me on the forehead before bending down and kissing my belly. I caught of eye of both my husband and father who looked on in the doorway, my father looked annoyed and my husband was once again, confused.

"Goodnight little grandbaby. You stay strong in here and don't give your mother a hard time now that you have your pies and ice cream."

After prying herself away from my belly, she shooed the men out of the doorway and with a slam, left me alone in the bedroom, confused, overwhelmed, and slightly annoyed.

I took my time in the sonic shower that night, taking extra care to rub the knots from my neck and shoulders. I changed into my dressing gown and spent my time in confinement reading, which thankfully seemed to drown out my mother's disgruntled voice from the sitting room as my father tried to encourage my mother to follow the doctor's orders and return to bed.

Sarek came to bed four hours later and upon slipping into bed, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. Placing my book on the table beside me, I sighed in exhaustion and rested my head against his chest.

"I'm sorry. I completely forgot how hard she can be."

"I fail to see the reason for your apology, Amanda." he replied, flatly.

"Because she is my mother, and she's probably stressing you out and making you angry, thus it is my fault."

"You are not the cause for her actions."

"I know," I said with a sigh, "she just took over everything, and I forgot how bad she makes me feel and with this pregnancy causing all the mood swings it's becoming harder and harder not lose control."

"It has been two weeks since we have engaged in a mind meld. If you wish to calm your emotions, I have no objection to instigate one."

My heart immediately jumped out of my chest. "Are you sure? With my parents in the house? Last time we stayed with them you refused to touch me while they were in the house."

"I would not have suggested it if I did not wish to do it."

He had a point and I could not disagree. With a nod of approval, I relaxed against the pillows with an exhausted and slightly eager sigh. His hand gently caressed the side of my face before his fingers found the proper points and within seconds an intensive wave of calm rushed over me.

Usually, he would not hold these mind melds for more than twenty seconds due to the intensity of emotional transfer, but his fingers continued to linger on the side on my face and the more he held contact, the more erotic the meld had begun to feel.

Lifting my head up, I pressed my lips against his and suddenly found myself on top of him. Deepening our kiss, his free hand slid down my side to the end of my nightgown, caressing my thigh before pulling the gown up and over my head. He tossed it to the side and joined the hand to the other side of my face, intensifying meld.

I had shuddered thinking about how long it had been since we had made love, and as my hands found the waistband of his pyjama trousers, I knew I wasn't going to let anything take away this moment.

The bedroom door suddenly swung open causing Sarek to break all contact.

"Amanda, I almost forgot the bassinet!"

My mother's back was turned towards the door as she dragged the bassinet over the threshold. I had just enough time to get back to my side of the bed and cover my naked body with the duvet.

"MUM! We're kinda in the middle of something!"

"I'm sorry to disturb you two so late, but I just remembered that I forgot the bassinet. It needs to be set up."

Making a beeline for the corner of the room, she opened the white stand and plopped the white basket on top of it. I took several sharp breaths as I watched my mother for two straight minutes meticulously adjust the bassinet in the corner. With each breath I felt not only was the erotic feeling slipping away, but the calm transferred through our mind meld. Anger was quickly replacing the calm.

"Ah, perfect." She admired it for another minute before turning around and said, "Amanda, where is your night gown? Are you hot? How can you be hot? It's freezing in here. The baby needs warmth. Sarek, please tell your wife that she needs to stay warm."

Sarek adjusted the duvet and clasped his hands over his groin discreetly. I could have sworn I felt anger from him through our bond but before I could even acknowledge it, it was gone leaving only my own anger.

"Technically you stated that the child needs to keep a satisfactory body temperature, not Amanda, as I am unable to speak directly to the child, I am unable to fulfil your request at this time."

She rolled her eyes, and sighed annoyingly "Can you, at least, tell you wife to put her nightgown on. She needs to be warm so that the baby can stay warm."

"I am not one for telling my wife what to do."

I could have kissed him right then and there for that comment, but instead I covered a forming smile with the duvet.

Saying nothing, she tucked the duvet around the sides of my naked body. Kissing me on the forehead and then belly over the duvet, she left the room, once again slamming the door shut.

Feeling my blood boil, I immediately jumped out of bed and went over to the bedroom door, locking it with an angry groan.

"You are angry." Sarek said flatly.

"Yes, I'm angry." I uttered, through clenched teeth.

"Does your mother have a habit of walking into rooms unannounced?"

"Yep." was all I could manage, as I plopped back onto the bed.

After a minute of awkward silence, Sarek spoke. "I have no objection to the continuation of our engagement of martial bonding."

He did not have to tell me twice. Turning around, I pressed my lips against his and jumped onto his lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any German speakers out there, feel free to correct my German if need be. I've been out of the country for too long now :(


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up to a gentle hand on my shoulder. Shifting onto my back, I smiled upon seeing my husband sitting on the edge of the bed, already dressed for the day ahead. Pulling the white sheet over my bare chest, I muffled a yawn.

Besides noticing how this was perhaps the calmest I had felt since my parents arrived, to my surprise, the sun was not fully out.

"What time is it?" I asked, still half asleep.

"It is six o'clock in the morning, your mother requests your presence for first meal."

Not believing him, I propped myself onto my elbows and found the clock on my nightstand. To my dismay, it was indeed six in the morning. I groaned and collapsed back against the pillows. It's six in the fucking morning.

"I am aware of the time." Sarek said flatly.

"No shit, but is my mother?" I rubbed my belly at the child's movements and turned onto my side, "Tell her the baby needs more sleep, that should buy me another hour."

"You mother has instructed me to 'leave no stone unturned' in order to extract you from bed. She has prepared a variety of animal products and has insisted that we dine together."

She cooked? She's supposed to be in bed. Knowing I could not win, I threw the covers off my still naked body with a groan.

"Do you require assistance to stand?"

"Yes, please. I'm not getting any smaller these days."

Taking my hand, he helped me to up and out of the bed, and upon my feet hitting the floor he handed me a floor length silk, blue gown. We emerged from the bedroom and slowly made our way down the corridor muffling many yawns along the way.

The smell of eggs, bacon, toast, and sausage gravy ran up my nose the minute we stepped over the threshold into the kitchen, causing the child to begin kicking underneath my growling stomach.

"Good morning, Amanda!" My mother beamed from the stove. At least she was looking better than yesterday with a healthy complexion, but her cheeks were still redder than usual. I eyed my father who sat at the table, still in his pajamas, reading from his PADD.

I kissed him on the cheek and wished him a good morning before sitting down next to him,

"Warum bleibt sie nicht im Bett?" why is she not in bed?

"Weil sie verrückt ist." because she's crazy.

„Aber der Arzt hat gesagt-". But the doctor said-

"Du kennst deine Mutter. Sie wurde nicht hören" You know your mother, she won't listen.

"Breakfast is ready!" She beamed, "Sarek, here is your oatmeal. Plain, no sugar. Eat all of it now, I know you have a long day ahead of you."

Suddenly, a full plate of eggs, bacon, toast, and sausage gravy was in front of me. While even I could not deny that it looked absolutely delicious, I knew there was no way I was going to be able to eat all of it. She placed a full glass of orange juice above the plate along with a fork.

"Eat it all now, the baby needs food."

A strong wave of anger rushed through me. I placed my hand over my belly and took in a deep breath in attempt to repress it. Even though we melded minds recently, without doing it frequently, it becomes harder for Sarek to help me control the mood swings. Even through the waves of calm he sent from the kitchen counter, the anger still rose. I swallowed the anger into my stomach and took a prolonged sip of the orange juice in front of me.

"Thank you, Mum" I finally managed to say, "it looks really good."

"I know." she said happily, sitting down on the other side of my father. "My cooking is always good. That's how I won over your father."

"Yea, sure…" my father mumbled sarcastically under his breath.

Sarek, much unlike him to do so normally, sat beside me and, as we tucked into our breakfast, I continued to focus on my breathing as my mother blabbered on and on about the events going on back on planet Earth. Even though Sarek continued to send periodic ripples of calm, it still was not helping.

We needed to meld again, I needed to feel his mind. I found myself repeating the ceremonial blessing, the one we chanted just after our bonding ceremony as a form of distraction.

As it was in the dawn of our days, as it will be for all tomorrows, to you, my husband, I consecrate all that I am.

I reminisced the sound of his voice on that day, seven months ago as he muttered the words in hurried desperation. From you, I receive all that I am.

I smiled remembering how nervous I felt and must have sounded - As it was in the beginning so shall it be now.

I closed my eyes as another way of anger rushed over me. I forced myself to remember the feeling of his soft hand on the side of my face as we uttered the last words together: Two bodies, One mind.

His hand touched the top of my knee under the table. I drew in a deep breath and scooped a huge portion of eggs and gravy onto my spoon.

"Anyway, enough of home. I wanted to talk about our plans for the day."

I stopped just shy of shovelling the oversized bite into my mouth, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Yes, pumpkin. Good news, I was able to ask your assistant to arrange a tour of that new museum today."

"Mum, how did you get hold of my assistant?"

"Geh mit ihr, Hase." Go along with her, bunny. Father advised softly, drawing his glass of juice to his lips before my mother chimed in.

"I have my ways." She proclaimed in a slightly mischievous tone as she tilted the remaining orange juice from her glass into her mouth. "Anyway, we need to be there at ten a.m. so, be ready to leave by nine. Sarek, I will need you to arrange the car to take us there. Speaking of which, I take it you will not be joining us given your busy schedule."

Another wave of anger caused my hands to clench into a fist, I opened my mouth about to speak when suddenly the anger was replaced with fear. The mood swings were becoming more and more unpredictable with each passing day and I knew that without Sarek by my side, it would only be a matter of time before an uncontrollable outburst.

I could feel my heart begin to beat rapidly, my palms began to sweat, and I could feel tears begin to form in my eyes. When a strong surge of calm hit me in the chest, my heartrate began to return to normal.

"On the contrary," Sarek began "I believe my assistant will be able to clear my morning schedule to attend your planned excursion, Mrs. Grayson."

A small sigh of relief escaped my lips. I was grateful and couldn't help but reach under the table to find to leg and caressed it gently. There was only a couple of seconds of silence before my mother began to speak again. Her next words causing me to drop the fork in my hand in shock,

"Sarek, I meant to ask you earlier, how is your son Sybok? I read in a magazine that he was sent to an orphanage after his mother's death a couple of months ago."

There was an audible sigh of frustration from my father before I glanced over at my husband who simply continued to eat his oatmeal in front of him.

"Mum-"

"The child is nothing of your concern, Mrs. Grayson." Sarek responded flatly,

"I think it is." she countered, "I would like to know how my step-grandson is doing."

"He is not related to you." Sarek countered. "and therefore, of no concern to you."

My heart began to beat rapidly again. We had not uttered the child's name since we visited the private estate in Gol seven months ago at the request of the child's mother. It was an awkward encounter to say the least and I was still not speaking with my husband after only hearing the shocking news that he had an illegitimate child two days prior.

It was only when Sarek explained, as we sat across from the sickly Vulcan woman, that the child's conception was born out of a dire situation while Sarek was days away from death is when my anger began to dissipate.

When the woman explained that she was forced by her family to marry Sarek and also rectify his Pon Farr, all anger directed at her dissipated and instead was replaced with remorse. She was young, very young. The sickly woman held a cup of Vulcan breakfast tea with shaky hands up to her lips. I can still remember the sound of her raspy monotoned voice as she requested that I not feel bad for her, and that her only wish was for the child's father to provide suitable care for her child after her death.

Yes, she was dying, and that is why she wanted to meet with us. The doctors had told her that with only two months left to get her affairs in order and with no relatives willing to care for her illegitimate child that she was forced to call the child's father.

The situation ran through my head a million miles a minute. Getting the dreaded call in the middle of the night, the silent journey to Gol, picking up the emotionally compromised three-year-old at the hospital, and even the image of me placing the sleeping child into his bed crossed my mind.

It was I who insisted the child remain in his home in Gol, and every so often I send extra money in the child's monthly allowance. Even though I was dying to bring the orphaned child into our household, I respected my husband's wish to remain distant and made peace with providing all that I could for the child while he lived under the care of a Governess over a hundred kilometres away in Gol.

It was both my mother's voice and Sarek poking at my conscious that broke me from the memories.

"He is considering that Herman and I are also a part of your fam-"

"Don't include me in this." my father interrupted, "Emma, it is none of your business." He looked over at Sarek and mumbled an apology, obviously embarrassed.

"You have no reason to apologise, Mr. Grayson, for it is your wife who is making such queries."

"I just want-"

"Emma!" My father said sharply. That seemed to shut my mother up and she finally began to focus on eating the food in front of her. There was only a minute of silence before she spoke again going on to explain how after the tour of the museum that she was able to secure a reservation for an upscale restaurant in downtown Shi'Kahr.

It was when she began to demand that I make transportation arrangements from the museum to the restaurant is when I could no longer bite my tongue.

"Mum," I began, but it sounded firmer than I wanted it to sound. I took in a breath and continued forcing myself into the softest tone I could manage, while simultaneously trying to control the anger that began to brew once more throughout my body. "I really appreciate everything that you are doing, but the doctor said that you really need to rest. You passed out yesterday in the kitchen and you couldn't stop vomiting for two hours. I'm sure I can arrange for us to go to the museum in a couple of days when-"

"Amanda-" My mother interrupted sternly.

"Emma!" My father interrupted giving her a stern look, but she ignored and continued,

"Amanda, you may be an adult, but you are still my child and I will not be talked to like this. I am a fifty-four-year old woman perfectly capable of making my own decisions," she glanced over at Sarek before adding "and inquiring about the members of my own family," before turning back to me "without your approval. I will not be talked to like a child by my own daughter. I thought I raised you better than to talk to disrespectfully with your elders but apparently, I was wrong. Too bad you turned out to be just as self-centred as your sister."

After a long-frustrated sigh throughout the rant, when the last four words left my mother's mouth in a huff, my father voice reverberated off the walls as he yelled "Emma, that's enough!" which caused me to almost jump out of my skin.

Whatever anger I felt suddenly vanished. A pain hit my chest like a bullet from a loaded pistol. Tears began to fill my eyes and despite Sarek's attempt to calm me through our bond, the damage was already done.

Feeling the lump in my throat begin to burn, I removed the serviette from my lap and placed it on the table beside my plate. I could barely utter the two syllables to excuse myself before walking out of the kitchen.

I rushed down the corridor as the tears began to run down my cheeks. Opening the bedroom door, I swung my arm to slam the door shut when Sarek's hand was suddenly on top of mine and stopped the force of the closing door.

Stepping over the threshold, he closed the door behind him. I sat down on the bed, hot tears continuing to run down my cheeks as I began to uncontrollably sob and hiccup as I fought to catch my breath. He seemed to watch me for an eternity before sitting down beside me on the bed.

Fighting through the tears, I rested my head on his shoulder fighting to get the words out through uncontrollable sobbing "Am…Am I…rea…really…"

"No." he said simply. His hand found the top of mine and squeezed gently.

There was a moment of silence before he spoke again, "Your mother's words were not appropriate. Your species suggests that it is customary for a child feel…" he paused trying to find the word, "peturbed with their parents as they grow older."

I simply nodded, unable to speak, as the sobbing continued. The baby began to move and when he began to kick, I grew in a sharp breath almost doubling over in pain.

"Perhaps it would be wise to instigate another mind meld."

The second our mind joined; besides a strong wave of calm, I felt all my emotions being pulled from my mind and body. A memory flashed before my eyes. We were on the balcony, in my apartment on earth. Sarek was in his best diplomatic robes and I was in a long red dress as we stared up at the night sky. It was the first time I noticed just how little he was looking at the sky and more on me.

"I've always loved Astronomy. Look" I pointed up at the night sky. "That is the Big Dipper"

He broke contact. The baby was calm, my body was calm and there was nothing but growing happiness as I reminisced in the memory. He whipped the tears away from my cheek, caressing gently with his thumb.

"I'm sorry." I said telepathically "I'm sorry she asked… about Sybok."

"That is the third unnecessary apology you have made to me since your parent's arrival"

A small smile broke through, I reached my hand up and caressed his wrist near my jaw. He removed his thumb from my cheek and held his hand out to me,

"Come." he gently commanded.

"I don't want to go back out there."

"That is not where I wish to take you."

He guided me to the balcony just outside our bedroom, walking to the edge of the patio he said, before pointing to the yellow and orange sky, "You once professed your love of Astronomy. Once every hundred years, the Big Dipper is visible on Vulcan. Forty degrees to the left you will find it, and Forty degrees to the right you will find the constellation Draco."

"That is not Draco, husband." I corrected, "That is Cepheus."

I found myself suddenly mesmerized by the barely visible constellations ahead, but the more I talked about them and their meanings, the calmer I felt. As I began to point out the more visible constellations and planets to my husband, the harder it was to control the smile that forced itself across my lips.

"Apparently it's quite hard to see Draco from our exact location. However, if he travelled sixty kilometres to the north, I imagine that it would be-"

I suddenly stopped, noticing him taking an uncharacteristically long stare in my direction. Love and contentment rushed through our bond and, with a small sigh, I intertwined my arm with his and rested my head on his shoulder. No more words were said as we stared out the beautiful view ahead.

End Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

I looked out the tinted windows, basking in the calmness that radiated through our bond as the forty-minute journey to the museum began. While I was certain that this was the calmest I had felt in days, the same could not be said for my mother. I could feel the tension radiating from her as she sat across from me in the hovercar staring daggers in my direction.

Five minutes into the journey, her eyes glared over to Sarek who sat beside me. She cleared her throat, adjusting herself awkwardly in her seat,

"Sarek," She began, in a somewhat angry tone, "I would like to apologise about earlier. It was wrong of me to ask about your son."

"You are forgiven, Mrs. Grayson." Sarek said, flatly, "I do request that you not mention him in future meetings."

"Of course," her voice now suddenly filled with the most remorse I had heard in years, "Again, I apologise."

She suddenly shifted her body to face me, leaned forward slightly and after a moment cleared her throat to attract my attention.

"Amanda," she began calmly, before adding, in a patronizing tone, "did my honesty make you upset earlier?"

"Emma, stop!" My father snapped through clenched teeth.

"What?! I'm just asking. Am I not allowed to ask about things-"

"Mrs. Grayson." Sarek interrupted, "I express my deepest appreciation for your production of first meal," he paused, before adding no more than a second later, "especially in your fragile condition."

I covered my mouth to hide a forming smile. While it was always subtle, it always made me laugh to hear sarcasm from my husband.

"Nonsense!" She sighed "Doctors don't know everything. I feel perfectly fine."

"Only because you set the temperature in our room to an artic 16 degrees and had the fan blowing all night." my father proclaimed.

"Makes no difference." she proclaimed, reaching down, she picked up the black oversized bag at her feet and placed it in her lap. "I didn't hear you complaining last night." She added bitterly, before reaching deep into her bag. "Oh, Amanda, I took the liberty of packing some snacks for the baby. Eat one every hour that we are not at home. The baby needs food constantly."

"Not this again." My father sighed under his breath.

I forced myself to look away from the beautiful mountains of Shi'Kahr, I simply nodded at my mother and turned back to look out the window. There was a small ripple of confusion from Sarek through our bond. He turned to my mother and said,

"It is my understanding, Mrs. Grayson, that the child only needs a portion of the nutritional nutrients Amanda is required to eat. According to the healers, both Human and Vulcan, it is Amanda who requires most of the nutrients, not the child."

I slowly turned my head towards my mother's direction. While I was certain that would shut her up, she simply waved her free hand dismissing the comment and shrugged her shoulder and said as she continued to dig well into the bottom of her bag,

"Well, in MY opinion, the baby is the most important right now." She finally retrieved a packet of nuts and placed them in my lap. "Eat." She ordered. "Don't want my grandchild going hungry."

Anger began to rise in my chest, but it quickly dissipated. A light brush of Sarek's arm on mine made me take in a deep breath and take the package of nuts into my hand.

"The baby is not hungry right now." I said simply.

"How do you know?!" She asked sharply.

"Emma." My father said again, but she ignored him.

"You know, Amanda. When I was pregnant with you and your sister, sudden spurs of anger were a sign of haemorrhoids."

I closed my eyes, a wave of embarrassment rushing through me. "Mum!" I sighed, burying my head in my hands.

I heard my father sigh as well, when I looked up, he too had buried his head in his hands.

"What! It's true. It's natural in pregnancy. Do you have haemorrhoids, Amanda? Is that why you're so moody lately? You know what haemorrhoids are right, Sarek? It is when the veins in the rectum swell from pushing too-"

"I fail to understand how your query is related to the amount of nutrients Amanda is required to ingest daily." Sarek suddenly interjected.

To my surprise, Sarek's sudden observation changed my mother's train of thought completely. As the minutes began to pass, she continued to explain to my husband in an upbeat tone about how the baby is more important than the mother in utero.

It was going well, until she got on the topic of haemorrhoids again. I drew in a breath and continued to stare out the window, imagining myself back on the beach with a glass of wine… and maybe a shot or two of tequila.

"Why are you talking about this?" My father interjected, clearly annoyed. "Can't you see that it's obviously embarrassing your daughter?"

"Excuuuuse me!" She injected, "I was talking to Sarek, and Amanda's fine. She's just in one of her moods. Pregnancy will do that to you. Anyway…"

She continued to speak about the embarrassing topic when her speech suddenly slowed. When I looked from the window, I had noticed that she had lost all complexion in her face and that her lips were losing colour.

She continued to blabber as she began to fan herself with her hand. Reaching in my bag on the floor, I took out my thermos that held ice cold water and handed it to her. "You are looking pale again." I said softly. "Please drink."

She eyed the thermos in my extended hand for the better part of a minute, before simply waving her hand and turning back to Sarek to speak. I glanced at my father who let out a frustrated sigh before turning his attention back to the window.

Opening the thermos, I took a sip of the cold water reaching over my mother, handing the thermos to my father who eagerly accepted.

"Mrs. Grayson." Sarek suddenly interrupted, "I have no objection to alternating the environmental settings of the hovercar to accommodate the needs of your inferior species."

She glanced at me once more with hostile eyes and then back to Sarek saying, "That would be well appreciated, Sarek."

Once the temperature was adjusted to a comfortable twenty-three degrees, my mother's complexion drastically improved, so much so that when we pulled up in front of the museum at ten o'clock in the morning on the dot, she jumped out of the hovercar with anticipation.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," She said turning around from the main entrance of the museum, "We have the museum all to ourselves! Amanda's assistant really knows how to plan a tour."

After a helping hand from Sarek out of the car, I uttered a sigh of minor frustration.

I'm sorry I said telepathically.

The fifth unessential apology since your parents have arrived.

Still, I'm sorry. I'm surprised your ears are still intact.

Exploring the museum turned out to be quite interesting as there was an exhibit on nineteenth and twentieth-century art, in which the subjects of the paintings were of other species from within the Federation, in order to promote diversity and societal cohesion. My parents walked slightly ahead with the tour guide as Sarek and I lingered behind, side by side with our security team trailing not far behind.

We rounded a corner and stopped just over the threshold of the third room. The next painting took up almost the whole wall and stood well over ten feet tall. I was in awe as I admired the many attributes of the tall, floor-to-ceiling painting before me. The colours and attention to detail were exquisite.

A wave of calm washed over me, and I could not help but let out a calming sigh.

Are you well? Sarek asked.

I am. I glanced over at him. Thank you again, for helping with my emotions….and again, I'm sorry again about my mother.

Unessential apology number six since your parents' arrival.

You're seriously keeping track?

As the tour guide began to explain that approximately twelve litres of paint was used for the making of this famous portrait of a fainting Andorian woman, I saw, from the middle of the room, my father's arms shoot out in front of him. Suddenly, I was watching my father lowering my unconscious mother onto the ground.

Fear was not the first thing I felt. Instead, I fought the overwhelming desire to roll my eyes in frustration as I lifted up the bottom of my dress and walked towards the situation. I crouched on the ground beside her, quickly noticing her alarming completion. Her cheeks were red, her lips were pale, and the rest of her face was white and clammy.

She needed help, that was a given, but I knew with my own numerous experiences with heat exhaustion that I needed to get her body temperature down and fast. Pivoting around, I found Sarek who stood just over the threshold of the room watching on.

"Call an ambulance." I said calmly, before turning back around, and pulling out the still cold thermos in my bag. Opening it, I tilted the black thermos over her head and poured the rest of the ice-cold water onto her face and neck. I glanced at my father, who hovered above my mother, and exchanged an annoyed look before my mother began to groan.

"Welcome back, Witch." My father said flatly. "You passed out… again. We told you this wasn't a good idea."

When her eyes fluttered open, I saw my father open his mouth to say something but before he could speak, I cut him off taking advantage of a rush of confidence that rushed through me. I looked back down at my mother with a blank face and said,

"Once again you failed to listen to me and once again you passed out. Sarek has called an ambulance and you are going to the hospital. I don't care if you're my mother, and I don't care if I am your daughter. You need help and you are going to the hospital."

I was surprised at how quickly the medical team appeared and with my father's help, I made my way to my feet and over to the side of the room where my husband and our security team watched on. It should have come as no surprise when after about a minute my father suddenly leaned over as we observe the paramedics administer another set of tri-ox injection and said:

"Your favourite portrait by Gustav Klimt is in room five. Would you-"

"Yep!"

Turning around without a second thought, I walked out of the room and throughout the corridor with my father and Sarek beside me. We continued about the museum, exploring each of the unique portraits and the facts about their conception.

After about an hour of wandering around, we came to the final gallery of the tour. We stood in front of 'The Kiss' by my favourite artist Gustav Klimt, but beside the original piece was a beautiful copy displaying a Vulcan male and a Human female in the embrace. I smiled as I admired the portrait, a wave of happiness rushing through me.

Throughout the silence, my father spoke from my side, whispering,

"It was the logical thing to do, leaving her, I mean."

Before I could even respond, Sarek replied in a flat tone with a tinge of haste. "Indeed."

"A heat stroke?!" I struggled to keep a calm composure as I sat across from the Vulcan doctor in her office. My father who was sitting beside me immediately scoffed upon hearing the results.

"Not surprised." He mumbled, crossing his arms at his chest.

"But will she be alright?" I asked.

"She will live." The doctor replied flatly. "Lady Amanda, you have stated that the patient is on Vulcan to engage in social activity with family, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"How long is the duration of her stay?"

"She is scheduled to go back home to Earth in three days' time."

"I see." She looked down at her PADD. "Lady Amanda due to the seriousness of the condition on such a delegate species, your mother must not venture outside for the remainder of her stay on Vulcan."

"At all?"

Lifting her head to face me, her brow twitched as if she were confused. She repeated once more, placing her PADD on her desk in front her "She must not venture outside for the remainder of her stay on Vulcan. She must remain in cooler environmental conditions while her body heals."

Upon hearing another scoff from my father, my head suddenly shot in his direction. He shook his head, a small giggle escaping his mouth.

"She won't listen, Doctor. She wouldn't listen before when Amanda told her to relax."

"I am unfamiliar with the term 'relax'." The doctor explained, flatly.

"It is a term used for staying in one place for an extended period and engaging in activities that require a low amount of energy, but also bring joy and satisfaction. It is also intended if someone is distressed mentally and physically." My father explained.

She nodded her head looking down again at her PADD. "I understand. I will see that the patient understands the seriousness of the situation." There was an odd intonation in her voice… if I did not know better it almost sounded threatening.

My father leaned over to me and asked in a whisper, "Should I even ask?"

I simply shook my head before turning back to the doctor, "How long will she remain in the hospital?"

"She will be released tomorrow morning at 06:00 hours."

The doctor stood from her chair and kindly escorted us to my mother's hospital room on the triage unit.

She laid asleep on top of the white crisp sheets in a white gown. Over her forehead and wrists were damp cloths. Seeing her laying on the bed, with her face still pale and clammy looking, caused me for the first time to feel guilty.

We sat at her bedside and watched her for two hours as she slept with a combination of guilt and irritation constantly running through me. When she finally opened her eyes, the first person she saw was my father who stood hovered over her with his arms crossed and a blank expression on his face.

"Hello, Witch." my father greeted.

"Hello, Toad." My mother responded in a low groan. Her head turned to the right where she eyes with groggy eyes "Why are you here?" her voice was tinted with bitterness.

"Because you are my mother." I said calmly, "and I'm not going to leave you alone in a hospital on a foreign planet, with foreign people that you do know, in a place where you are not familiar with. I'm not going anywhere so don't even try it. Now, how are you feeling?"

"Hot." She groaned.

After a moment, she sighed. I felt her fingers brushed against the back of my hand and after a moment, her fingers wrapped around my forefingers and squeezed gently. I could see tears begin to form in the sides of her eyes, a sight that caused me to suddenly feel quite sad.

"I'm sorry." She said feebly. "For this morning, I didn't mean what I said."

"I know, Mum." I whispered, squeezing her fingers gently.

"You're only saying this because you thought you'd die." my father interjected.

"No, no." she groaned, "I'm not. I was out of line, and I'm sorry. I just… I just wanted things to be perfect. We only had five days… that's not a long time." Her hand left mine, reached up and found my belly which she rubbed gently, "I missed so much… and I just wanted to be there for you... and Sarek, and the baby."

"I don't know if anyone's told you," interjected my father once more, "But you're still alive"

I covered my mouth, hiding the instant smile that formed from my father's comment. With my mother hand, I caressed the top of my mother's hand gently,

"I know, Mum. I know"

"Where's Sarek?" she asked.

"He is at the Embassy. He was called in for a meeting. The doctor said that upon your release, you are to stay in the house for the remainder for your stay and you will not rebel."

When she muttered a simple "I know", my father and I looked at each other with risen brows and small smirks. We knew it would not last. "It seems that Vulcan doesn't like me."

"I wouldn't go that far." I smiled, "The heat definitely takes some getting used to. I'm sure if you decide to come back again, you'll find that you will fare much better as long as you take it easy."

"I…don't know how you do it" She groaned, her eyes beginning to shut from drowsiness.

When she drifted back to sleep, I was barley finished removing her limp hand from my belly before my father asked.

"Wanna go to the café? I heard they have some good vegetarian lasagne."

Sighing in relief, I whispered, "I thought you'd never ask."

Taking his arm, we made our way down to the ground floor and to the cafeteria where a long row of replicators sat. As we waited on a replicated version of vegetarian lasagne and a piece of cake, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and let out a sigh that I could make out as one of both frustration and relief.

"Are you too old to still place bets with your old man?"

Smirking, I shook my head and rested my head on his shoulder, "I'm never too old for that, Dad. What were you thinking?"

"Ten credits, she will be back to her old tricks by tomorrow morning."

I scoffed, "Nah, ten credits she'll be up to her old ways by tomorrow evening. She will probably still be tired when she comes home and sleep the whole day. I'm sure of it."

"Have you ever won a bet before?" He asked, sliding the plate of lasagne onto his tray.

"I've won a couple times." I said, eagerly taking the replicated piece of cake. "I won when she had her hip surgery. You said she would be up and walking by week one, and I said week two".

After replicating some tea and water, we made our way to a nearby table. "So, are we on?" I asked, stealing a bite of lasagne from his plate.

"Wanna make it even more interesting?" He asked, equally stealing a bite of cake from my plate. "Wanna involve your husband?"

I immediately laughed at the suggestion. "Sarek? Betting? He probably won't see the logic in it. However, I think I'd be interesting if you can get him in on it."

"Has he ever bet before?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"I'll see if I talk to him about it." He added with a mischievous smile. "I'm sure I can, at least, get him to try."

I scoffed. My father, getting my husband to bet? My Vulcan husband to bet? Ha! Taking another bite of cake into my mouth, I smiled mischievously, meeting his eye. "Wanna bet on it?"

"I fear you will be poor when we leave."

I covered my mouth at an escaped laugh, "Come on, why not? Ten credits says you will not persuade Sarek into our bet with Mum."

It took a couple more minutes of begging before he finally extended his hand, smiling, "Okay, Okay. I can never say no to my little girl. Deal?"

Reaching out, I grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently fighting the childlike smile of accomplishment that escaped my lips "Deal."

-O-O-O-

When Sarek arrived home and made his way into the kitchen as my father and I were replicating some dinner, we immediately exchanged an excited smile.

"Sarek!" my father called. I turned from the replicator on the counter to see my husband standing just over the threshold of the kitchen.

"Mr. Grayson." Sarek nodded.

Exchanging a mischievous glace in my direction, my father extended his arm, gesturing over to the table nearby. "Come, I would like to speak with you for a moment."

"If you wish." Sarek said flatly.

My father escorted Sarek to the table and as I began to replicate our meals and brew some Vulcan breakfast tea, I listened as my father began to explain to Sarek the logics of our bet. I could not help but smile as I poured hot water into the white porcelain tea pot, confident that my father was going to be out ten credits.

"I fail to understand the meaning of betting currency on Mrs. Grayson's failures." Sarek explained.

"It is a source of entertainment, and the more accurate term is 'gambling'." my father explained. "And I believe the word you're looking for in this situation is arrogance, not failure."

Sarek nodded, accepting the corrections. My father continued his explanation, "Emma never listens to doctors, or anyone for that matter. Amanda and I started betting on her mother's failures and pig-headed behaviour when she was younger. It often made her feel better emotionally after an argument with her mother."

"I see" Sarek said simply. "Did Amanda often quarrel with Mrs. Grayson?"

"Yes, all the time. Amanda was never particularly close with Emma. They always clashed heads, especially when it comes to following the rules."

"And this 'gambling' you speak of was the only way to improve her emotional state?"

"It would make her happy, yes."

Butterflies fluttered nervously in my stomach as I placed the tea pot and mugs in the middle of the table. My father always had a way of convincing people, and I suddenly sensed that my husband was about to be another one of his so-called victims.

Taking a seat beside my father, I began to pour a cup of tea for my father, but when Sarek's gawking eye caught my attention I suddenly stopped. "Wife, will it improve to your emotional status if I participate in the event of gambling on your mother's pig-faced behaviour?"

"You mean 'pig-headed', my husband." I replied with a tinge of defeat in my voice, facing the fact that I knew I would lose. I slowly turned my head towards my father who broke out in a small accomplished smile. Saying nothing, I slid a cup of tea towards my father, before turning to Sarek,

"You want to join in, on a bet, with my father and I, about my mother?"

"You are confused by my proposal?"

"Yes." I blurted honestly, "I mean, I didn't think you would see any logic in gambling." I slid another cup over to Sarek.

"Your father has explained that it will improve your emotional status, and thus it would be illogical to not participate."

I was momentarily stunned by this explanation. It wasn't until my father nudged my arm and held up his hand rubbing his thumb along his other four fingers that I reluctantly reached into my dress pocket and took out my change purse. I was unable to hide the embarrassed smile that peaked through my lips as I handed him the ten credits.

"You engaged in another bet with your father?" Sarek asked.

"Yes," I smiled, "I bet him that you would not partake in the bet concerning my mother."

"See, Sarek." my father smiled, taking the ten credits from my fingers. "Told you it can be discreet… and interesting."

When the replicator bell went off, I was careful to take out each bowl individually and carry them to the table. I glanced at my husband taking a small bite of the pasta dish in front of me,

"So, do you understand how to bet?"

"I believe that your father has adequately explained the regulations of the social event. I am confident that I am able confidently participate. Now, Mr. Grayson if I may inquire, what was your proposal?"

"I bet that Emma will be up to her old tricks tomorrow morning." When Sarek was silent, my father rephrased his sentence "I bet that she will be disobeying the doctor's orders by tomorrow morning."

"Hmm… Fascinating. I, too, am highly confident that Mrs. Grayson will go against the healer's recommendations tomorrow morning."

"Right, so since Amanda thinks something different, that is allowed. We have a valid bet between the three of us."

I shot a mischievous glance at Sarek, before spooning some pasta into my mouth.

"So," my father smirked, turning to Sarek to reaffirm the bet, "If Amanda loses, she owes us both ten credits. If we lose, then we owe Amanda ten credits each. Understand?"

"I understand." Sarek said simply, finishing his bowl of soup.

"So, are we on for a bet?" I asked both men.

"Yes." my father said,

Sarek nodded.

This was going to be interesting...


	6. Chapter 6

A gentle hand on my shoulder roused me from my sleep. Opening my eyes, I rolled over to see my husband sitting on the edge of the bed.

"The healer has called." he said in a low voice "Your mother is ready to return to the estate."

I groaned in a mixture of exhaustion and apathy. I had just got comfortable and the thought of leaving threatened tears to start forming in my exhausted eyes. I muffled a yawn and pressed my aching back deeper into the pillows, hoping for some relief from the pain.

"I am aware that the child has made it difficult for you to sleep. I have no objection to collecting your mother from the hospital with your father if you wish to return to sleep?"

"Thank you." I groaned, still half asleep.

I woke up hours later to a sweet smell. Rolling over, I sighed in defeat, already sure that the cause of the decadent sweet smell was most certainly from my mother.

"Let's find out what she's up to this time." I whispered to myself, caressing my belly gently.

Finding my footing, I wrapped my robe around my still tired and aching body, grabbed my change purse from the nightstand and popped it in my pocket before making my way down the corridor.

Unsurprisingly, I found my mother standing at the stove flipping pancakes while still in her pyjamas. I could not help but utter a small sigh of defeat and frustration as I stepped over the threshold.

"Mum?" I asked, clearing from my throat the morning phlegm, "What are you doing cooking?"

"What do you mean 'What am I doing?'? I'm cooking us breakfast. It's eight o clock in the morning, your father and I were hungry, so, I'm making pancakes for all of us."

Her happily beaming response so early in the morning caused a wave of irritation to run through me. I glanced at my father who was sitting at the high-top counter with a mug of coffee in one hand, and his PADD in the other. I made my way into the kitchen and over to my father who seemed to be reading.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked, flipping the blueberry pancakes on the flat skillet. I wrapped my arms around my father from behind and kissed him on the cheek.

"Guten Morgen, Hase" Good Morning, Bunny. He whispered.

"Not really." I sighed, barely managing a small smile in her direction, "Did you both sleep well?"

"Es war kalt" It was cold. He explained under his breath.

"Haven't slept that good in ages!" my mother beamed. A low scoff from my father caused me to tighten my embrace around him. A plate of fresh blueberry pancakes was slid in front of him with exactly two tablespoons of maple syrup in a measuring cup placed beside the pancakes. "I feel much better," She continued, "I think I'm actually getting used to the weather now."

"Yea, sure," he mumbled, taking in a mouthful of coffee, "only because you had the fan on full blast and our room is cold enough to house what's left of the polar bears in the Arctic."

"You're just saying that because I'm limiting your sugar intake." she countered.

I muffled a small laugh against his shoulder, and while she continued to blabber about the importance of a healthy low sugar diet, I reached into my robe pocket, opened my change purse and took out a ten-credit coin. I placed it on the counter in front of him and kissed him on the cheek once more.

"Hopefully you can buy yourself a nice sweater with this." I jokingly whispered in his ear.

"It's very important to maintain balance." She finally concluded "Anyway, chocolate pancakes or blueberry, Amanda?"

"Blueberry, please." I said mid-yawn, finally joining my father's side at the countertop.

"Should have guessed!" she laughed, "You were always cautious about your weight."

Breathing away the sudden irritation at her comment, my father offered a helping hand as I climbed up onto the high-top chair beside me.

"Kurz und schmerzlos" Quick and Easy, he joked as I finally managed to get comfortable. With the stove and my mother in front of us, I watched as she poured more of the batter into three equal size circles into the frying pan.

"Schlafst du gut, Hase?" Did you sleep alright, bunny? my father asked, slightly concerned.

"Nein." No, I said in an almost whisper. "Endlich bin ich nach fünf Uhr geschlafen, und dann nach ein Stunde Sarek hat mir aufwachen. Es tut mir leid, dass ich nicht mit ihnen konnte gehen." Finally got to sleep around five, then Sarek woke me up. I'm sorry I couldn't go with you to pick her up.

"Es ist okay" it is okay, he said caressing my shoulder gently. "Let me make you some tea. That always helps wake you up."

"Do you still use the stove, Amanda?" my mother suddenly asked, "Or do you replicate everything?"

"I still use the stove," I said muffling another yawn, "and so do the servants. We don't replicate everything."

"You mean they can cook?!"

From the replicator by the refrigerator my father uttered another deep sigh. "Of course they can cook, Emma. Cooking is nothing but simply chemistry."

My mother shot a pointed look in my direction.

"It is true." I confirmed. "Sarek said when he first cooked for me many years ago that cooking was nothing but chemistry and that all Vulcan children are taught to cook from a young age."

"Oh, Amanda!" Her loud voice almost causing me to jump out of my skin "Speaking of Sarek, where is he? I haven't seen him since we came home from the hospital."

"He is meditating, but he should be finished soon."

My father returned with a steeping mug of Vulcan breakfast tea. "Here, Bunny." he softly said, placing it in front of me "Drink it all. It'll help wake you up."

"Good," she beamed once more, "because I have to speak with all of you."

Pouring a sizeable portion of maple syrup on top of the fresh plate of pancakes, she placed the large plate in front of me.

"Eat it all now." she ordered, "The baby needs food and you need to get some more weight on you."

The sheer size of the stack of pancakes in front of me made my stomach both turn and growl. On one hand it was so much food, and the thought of trying to fit it all into my stomach was sickening, but on the other hand the kicking baby under my growling stomach made the pancakes irresistible. How was that possible? Pregnancy never ceased to surprise me.

"Thank you, Mum." I finally managed, picking up the fork and knife on each side of the plate. As my father and I began to dig into our plate of pancakes, I was curious about what my mother had said. She said she needed to speak to us all together. Was it something the doctor told her? Did she decide to leave early for her own health?

"What do you need to talk to us all about?" I asked, after swallowing my second oversized bite of pancake.

"When we are all together, I will- Oh Sarek. Just in time!"

I turned to see Sarek standing at the doorway, his eyes staring intensely at the mess of scattered ingredients on our stove and countertop.

"Mrs. Grayson." he said flatly.

"Sarek, you're just in time!" my mother beamed excitedly, "I have some big news to share!"

Stepping over the threshold, he walked over to me and held out his forefingers. "Wife."

"Husband" I smiled, resting my fingers against his. While I usually relished in the lovely feeling produced by the Orz'hesta my mother's voice ruined the moment when she interjected with,

"I still don't understand why you two don't kiss."

I turned to see her walking around the counter carrying a large bowl. "Sarek, I made pancakes for everyone, but I know sugar makes you sick, so I made you plain oatmeal. Eat it all now, we have a long day ahead of us."

With his fingers still touching mine, I sensed a huge wave of confusion as my mother handed him the bowl of oatmeal. He looked down into the bowl and then back up at my mother who returned to the stove,

"Very well." he said simply.

"Mr. Grayson." Sarek bowed his head in acknowledgement.

"Ambassador." My father replied.

As Sarek took the last tabletop seat next to me, I reached into my robe and pulled out another 10 credits from my purse and slid it over to him with a sly smile. "You both won." I whispered lightly.

"That Vulcan juice you like." my mother smiled, placing a large glass of kaasa above Sarek's bowl.

"Now that everyone is together-" My mother continued, loudly.

"Here we go…" my father muttered.

"I was able to make another reservation for the restaurant that we were meant to go to yesterday for tonight."

I watched my father's head slowly incline up at my mother. His expression clearly read 'are you fucking kidding me, woman?'

Looking over at Sarek, he simply looked at my mother for a lingering minute before returning to his oatmeal in front of him.

I knew as the awkward silence continued, I would risk getting my head chewed off again, but I could not help it. She was doing too much again, she was not listening to the Doctor, even when she said that she would. I drew in a deep breath and as if I were a Buddah, rubbed my swollen belly for luck and perhaps courage,

"Mum. The doctor said-"

"Amanda!" my mother interrupted sternly. "I already told you-"

"Emma." My father interrupted, suddenly standing from the countertop. I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting a yelling match. My hand found my father's arm while the other found Sarek's hand on his lap, but to my surprise my father's voice turned soft. "Why don't you sit down. You've been making breakfast all morning. Let me make your pancakes."

I opened my eyes and my brow immediately rose in confusion as I watched my father wrap his arm around his wife's shoulders. Despite my mother's protesting, his voice remained soft, but insistent as he walked her around the counter and over to his chair. He sat her down in his chair and moved his pancakes, PADD, and coffee to the side.

"You have hardly sat down," he said in a comforting, but insistent tone, "and let alone next to Amanda. Sit down here and let me make your pancakes."

My father picked up the large bowl of remaining batter and continued to fold in the flour. Still confused, I felt my mother suddenly wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close to her, beaming with excitement. I drew in a breath and forced a smile.

"Herman, don't overwhip it." she suddenly ordered, "You want air in it."

He looked up from the bowl and eyed her sharply "I believe I remember how to make pancakes." He responded before sticking his finger into the batter,

"hmm… it needs more sugar. Amanda, Wo hast du die Zucker behalten? Die vierte Shrank, ja?" Where do you keep the sugar? The fourth cupboard yes?

"Sugar? It doesn't need sugar." my mother argued, "I added the recommended half-cup."

Pulling away from my mother's embrace, I nodded, finally able to respond. "Ja. Es ist an die verte Shrank" Yes, it is in the fourth cupboard.

My father turned around, placing the large bowl on the back counter, then opened the cupboard to get more sugar. My mother continued to protest beside me.

"You made your pancakes for everyone!" attested my father, with a tinge of irritation in his voice, "now let me make mine for you." He turned around to face her, "and, if I recall correctly, you liked my pancakes, so stop barking orders." he turned back around and continued to mix the batter.

Surprisingly, my mother simply shrugged and leaned forward, eyeing Sarek who was beginning to struggle with his oversized bowl of oatmeal.

"Sarek" she called softly, "would you please mind calling your assistant to arrange transportation to the restaurant tonight?"

"I will be unable to assist you in your request." Sarek answered simply.

"and why is that?" my mother asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

Feeling my heart rate begin to elevate, I began to cut her a large piece from my stack of pancakes hoping the food would distract her from her request and diffuse the situation.

"I don't understand why you can't-"

"Here, Mum" I interrupted, holding the huge bite of pancakes. "Try your handiwork, it's really good."

I glanced back at my father, wondering why it was taking him so long with the batter. When I saw him slip something circular and blue into his pocket, I snapped my head back towards my mother and forced a smile,

"Don't worry," I said happily, "I'll arrange transportation. Sarek is terribly busy, Mum, you know this. He can't do everything. Let me handle it."

She eyed my fork for a tense minute. I thought for sure she would yell or instigate another fight but much to my relief, a small smile appeared and without saying a word she opened her mouth and took the oversized bite of pancakes into her mouth. As her eyes closed in narcissistic ecstasy, I turned back to my father, who finally turned around from the back counter with the large bowl in his hand.

My mothers' voice pulled me from observation, "Amanda, you really should eat more…" pushing the plate towards me. "…before I eat them all. Herman, are you done with the sugar? I'm starving here. I'm about to eat Amanda's pancakes."

With an annoyed huff, my father began to pour the rest of the batter into three medium sized circles into the skillet "It's coming, my lovely witch."

"I want chocolate and blueberry, and don't burn them!"

His eyes closed, and he drew in a breath, swallowing irritation. "I can assure you, I remember how to make pancakes."

"Is the baby not hungry, Amanda?" my mother asked.

Caressing my full stomach, I took the cup of warm breakfast tea into my hand and took a sip. "I'm just full. I haven't had pancakes in a long time, I think my stomach forgot what to do with them."

"And you, Sarek?" My mother leaned forward to face him, "is your oatmeal good?"

"It is satisfactory, Mrs. Grayson. Thank you."

As if on cue, Sarek had finished his big bowl of oatmeal. When he stood up, his hand discreetly ran across my lower back as he walked around the counter and placed his empty bowl in the sink next to the stove.

"Here, Witch. Three chocolate and blueberry pancakes."

"Two tablespoons of maple syrup?"

"Yes." he responded flatly.

"A tablespoon of brown sugar?"

"Yes." he responded with an annoyed groan.

"Butter in the middle of each pancake?"

"Yes, Emma." He groaned again "It's all there."

A large smile ran across her lips as she cut into her large stack of pancakes, "Good. Amanda, are you sure you don't want any of mine? They really are delicious!"

Just the smell of her odd combination of pancakes threatened to trigger my nausea. There was something off putting about brown sugar, butter, and maple syrup together. I shook my head quickly and held the aromatic smelling tea up to my nose, drowning out the somewhat repugnant smell.

"Suit yourself. I think the baby would like it, though."

"Is it usual for a human to add such ingredients to the recipe?" Sarek asked.

"Nope." My father responded, handing him the empty batter bowl.

I watched as my mother began to devour them in lightning speed. The men were halfway through washing the dishes when I officially waved the white flag at half of my own oversized pancakes.

"You're really hungry there, Mum."

"Oh. My. God. So good!" she sighed in ecstasy, her mouth full of pancake.

As my mother muffled a large yawn halfway through her stack of pancakes, I noticed from the sink a forming smile that my father had on his face. I knew that smile. I remembered it from when I was little. I saw it just before we would play jokes on Mum.

"I'm glad you like them." My father smiled from the sink.

I was curious. As I caressed the side of the mug of breakfast tea I began to think back. I saw him slip a blue cylinder in his pocket. Could he have gotten that from the hospital? My own nausea medicine prescribed by the doctor was in a blue bottle, but then again, Sarek's heart medicine came in a green bottle. Did mine come in a green bottle? Oh, damn this pregnancy brain!

As fear began to creep into my stomach, I felt a huge wave of calm radiate through me. I drew in a breath, deciding it best to not overthink things. As a couple of bites remained, I noticed my mothers' eyes begin to grow heavy, her normally perfect posture fell into a slouch and she began to yawn more frequently.

"Are you alright, Mrs. Grayson?" Sarek asked.

She put down her fork and rubbed her eyes, "Yes, thank you, Sarek. I'm just suddenly very tired. You know, I think I'm going to go take a nap."

As she stepped down from the highchair, she suddenly grabbed the counter, seeming to have lost her balance. Sarek reached forward and grabbed her arm to hold her steady and keep her on her feet.

I jumped down from the counter and asked, "Are you alright, Mum?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just suddenly really tired." She looked up at Sarek and asked softly, "Would you mind helping me to my bedroom?"

"Perhaps it would be more appropriate for your husband to assist you. I think it more appropriate for me to continue washing the dishes."

Muffling another yawn, she smiled smally and nodded, "Perhaps you're right."

With my father wrapping his arm under my mother's arms, I watched as he helped her out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I could feel my palms begin to sweat, and my heart begin to race as I watched my father help my mother up the stairs from the kitchen doorway.

What the hell was going on?

"Amanda," Sarek called from the sink "I urge you not to worry."

Sighing in a mixture of frustration and exhaustion, I turned around and muffled my own yawn, crossing my arms above my stomach.

"How do you expect me not to worry? My mother has heat exhaustion, she won't listen to anyone and now she's suddenly tired and losing her balance. My father's acting funny and I'm fairly sure he slipped something in her pancakes."

"That's because he did." Sarek replied flatly, beginning to dry the now clean dishes. When the words left his mouth, I felt my stomach drop so low I thought it was on the floor below me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, suddenly thinking he was lying, "Did you see him do it?"

"Yes," He said simply. "and I do not lie, Amanda."

I sighed in frustration, seriously? I could feel the irritation rise with each passing second,"And you didn't think to tell me when you saw it?"

"There was no need to tell you what you were already witnessing." Sarek pointed out.

"Well, I didn't exactly see if he put anything in the batter…" I countered "did you?"

"You know you just ask me, right?" My father suddenly appeared.

"Dad." I said sternly, as he walked past me nonchalantly and over to the countertop, "You didn't poison her, did you?"

Scoffing, my father sat back in his chair on the countertop and moved his uneaten pancakes in front of him and calmly began to eat. "Amanda, I wouldn't poison your mother."

"Well, what did you do? You could have at least let me in on the secret."

My father glance up at Sarek, his brows contorted in confusion, "You didn't tell her?"

"I did not have the time to." Sarek responded.

Anger began to rise, they were in on it, TOGETHER. "Are either of you going to tell me what the hell you put in her pancakes or not?!" I snapped.

Saying nothing, my father removed a blue pill bottle from his pocket and held it up, "I can't take all the credit for this one." He proclaimed calmly "Vulcan doctors are quite helpful when it comes to dealing with belligerent patients."

Taking the bottle from his hand, I found myself shrieking loudly as my eyes ran over the same two words over and over in bold print: SLEEPING PILLS. "You drugged your wife's pancakes with sleeping pills?!"

"It was the only way to get her to follow the Doctor's orders." my father countered calmly.

My father always joked that there would be a day when he would drug my mother, but I did not actually think he would go through with it! Focusing on the pill bottle, I began to feverishly translate the label on the pill bottle from Vulcan into English. However, my shock did not allow me to get past the brand name of the medicine. With my mouth wide open in shock I turned towards Sarek who began to clean the countertop and stove.

"You knew about this?" I asked, trying to hide the anger in my voice.

"Your father did mention it to me on the way to collect your mother this morning from the hospital."

"There's no way he could have asked for these…you helped him get these from the doctor, didn't you?"

After a moment of silence, Sarek inhaled and said simply, "It was the logical thing to do."

End Chapter Six


	7. Chapter 7

It was eerie how quiet the house was. So quiet that, with my father's blessing, I retired to my office to get some work done for the learning centre. After sitting in my office for a quiet, uninterrupted nine hours, my exhausted eye caught Sarek standing in the doorway. With his arms crossed in front of him, he looked to be in deep concentration.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Four minutes and twelve Seconds. Are you still angry with me?"

Smirking softly, I shook my head and placed my documents on the desk. "No." I said simply. "Are you alright?"

"I am well." He answered flatly. "According to the servants, it has been a considerable amount of time since you have eaten."

"The servants brought me mid meal around two o'clock."

"And I as well. However, nine hours has pasted since your last full meal."

"You mean to tell me that you are ready for end meal?"

After a small nod, I found my footing and met him in the doorway, placing a small kiss on his cheek. "My secret keeper." I muttered with a smile. With him beside me, we slowly made our way down the corridor, his hand resting gently on my aching lower back, "I wonder what my mother is going to cook now."

"Mrs. Grayson is still in her room."

Raising a brow, we stopped in front of the staircase. "Hmm. That's odd. The sleeping pills should have begun to wear off by now." I suddenly got a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. "I think I'm going to go check on her."

"Your father recently joined your mother in her room." Sarek replied.

"Considering he drugged his wife nine hours ago; I don't know if I necessarily trust him alone with her at the moment."

Trailing behind me, Sarek and I walked up the stairs and down the corridor to my parents' room. From the doorway, I was thankful to hear her snoring rather loudly and, as I walked further into the room, I sighed in relief to see her laying in the middle of the bed in her blue night gown, drool running down the side of her mouth.

At her bedside, my father stood with his PADD in his left hand and the dark blue pill bottle in his right. The fear returned.

"She's still asleep?" I asked, slightly alarmed.

"Yes." My father said calmly, "and I'm trying to find out why. Problem is, on this pill bottle, everything is in Vulcan except for the words: Sleeping Pills."

"She should be starting to come out of it by now." I bent down the side of the bed and shook her shoulder, "Mum, wake up!" I said sternly, "Wake up! It's time for dinner."

Nothing but a loud snore reverberated off the walls.

"According to the instructions," Sarek began, "the tablets are to stimulate a compromised state of sleep for twelve hours."

When I looked over my shoulder, Sarek suddenly had the pill bottle in his hand.

"Twelve hours!?" I gasped.

Then it hit me. Vulcan sleeping pills are more potent than the ones given to humans back on Earth. Standard dosage is usually…. my eyes darted towards my father as I felt my stomach drop,

"Wie viele Tabletten hast du Mama geben?" How many tablets did you give mum?

"Zwei" Two. He responded calmly.

"Two!?" Sarek and I exclaimed in unison.

Taking the bottle from Sarek hand, I began to feverishly read the instructions. After three attempts to get past the brand name, I finally was able to read the instructions translating as quickly as I could into English from its standard Vuhlkansu. I rubbed my belly as the baby began to react to my stress and began to kick.

"Take one tablet, once every twelve hours." I read off the label out loud. I continued to read the label feverishly, but something caught my eye. It was in small print, "recommended dose: half a tablet." I read, trying my best to translate as fast as I could in my anxious state. "Oh, shit!" I exclaimed.

"May I see the bottle?" Sarek asked politely. Handing it to him I stood running my hand over my face in disbelief. Even Sarek's voice could not pull me from my shocked state. He gave her two tablets; the standard dosage is half a tablet. Half a tablet every twelve hours…

"Can one of you please tell me what's going on here?" My father asked.

"Mr. Grayson, according to the instruction on the bottle half a tablet will induce twelve hours of sleep..."

His brow contorted in confusion, "Where? I read the bottle twice before I gave it to her and there were no dosage instructions."

"That's because the Healer failed to provide a translation and a bigger font for you to see it on the bottle."

I looked up to meet my father's eyes, "It says on the bottle that the standard dosage is half a tablet, and that a standard dosage will last for twelve hours. You gave her two pills so she will be asleep for-"

"Forty-eight hours." Sarek and my father finished. Damn their fast math.

My hands began to shake. I saw my father's mouth move, but his words were silent. I looked over at Sarek who suddenly had my father's PADD in his hands. Instinct pulled me back down over my still snoring mother. I took her shoulders and shook her hard,

"Emma!" I yelled, "EMMA! Wake. UP!"

"Amanda, I encourage you to remain calm." Sarek said calmly. "According to the medical webpage, it should cause no permanent damage to your mother."

I shot my head in his direction, suddenly full of denial, "But this is not normal!" I shrieked, before turning back to my mother, shaking her again "Emma! Mum! Wake. UP!"

"She is under the influence of heavy sedation." Sarek explained.

"No shit!" I said, sarcastically.

"Then I fail to see why you continue to attempt to wake her?" Sarek countered.

It took about ten minutes before I finally managed to calm down. I sat on the edge of the bed and observed as she continued to snore, and more drool continued to drip from the side of her open mouth.

"I can't believe this." I sighed to myself, running my fingers through my hair.

"You know," My father suddenly spoke, "your mother still reserved a table for that restaurant. If we hurry, we can make the reservation." He glanced at his watch, "It's in an hour."

"Dad," I laughed in disbelief, "do you really think-"

"I shall inform the servants to fetch the car." Sarek said suddenly,

"I'll get dressed." my father responded almost as fast.

Before I could even open my mouth, I was being ushered out of the bedroom by both Sarek and my father. The door closed in front of me and suddenly I was staring at the fine carved detail in the wood door full of shock, fear, and anger.

I drew in a deep breath and blew it out calmly, "What. The. Hell. Just. Happened?"

"Take care of yourself, Pumpkin, and let us know the minute that baby is born." said my mother as she muffled a yawn and rubbed her tired eyes as she wrapped me tightly in a hug.

True to the medicine, my mother stayed in her induced sleep for two days. When attempting to wake her for food and water proved to be impossible, we were forced to call the doctor who thankfully came in the middle of night to administer intravenous fluids and nutrients.

There was nothing he could do to reverse the effects of the medicine and the only thing we could do was wait. The doctor returned late last night to remove her IV and by this morning she finally emerged from her two-day sleep confused and drowsy.

By the time we forced her to eat a small bowl of Plomeek soup and some water, it was time to take them to the Embassy where the diplomatic ship to escort them back to Earth waited.

I held back tears as I bid them goodbye on the platform as the diplomatic vessel waited nearby. Orange and Yellow were just peaking over the mountain, and the weather was at its lowest of the day.

"I will, Mum." I said, holding back tears, caressing her back gently.

Wrapping my arms around my father I held him tightly in an embrace. Saying goodbye to him was always the hardest.

"Thank you." I whispered softly in his ear.

Pulling away, he kissed me on the cheek, smiling "Kein Problem, Hase. Bitte kümmern Sie über sich selbst." No problem, bunny. Please take care of yourself.

He reached up and caressed the tears away from my cheek gently

"Nein, nein." He whispered softly, pulling me back into a hug "Don't cry, I don't like it when you cry, bunny."

"I can't help it," I sniffed, before finally pulling away. "But this isn't goodbye."

"It's never goodbye." he smiled.

"Call me when you land safely, please."

"I will."

"And call me when you get home."

"I will." he said again.

"And call me when you go back to work."

A small smile grazed his lips, "I will." he said again.

"Goodbye grandbaby!" my mother beamed in a sing song way. She leaned down and caressed my belly. I fought back an annoyed eyeroll as she pressed her lips against my bump, "Grandma, will miss you so- oh, it's kicking! Herman! It's kicking! It knows me! It knows me!"

I smiled, caressing her hand just above his kicking foot. "Of course," I responded softly, "it knows it's grandmother."

"How could it not with that voice." my father mumbled.

Sarek emerged. Walking up the platform, with his hands clasped behind his back, he took his place beside me. "The captain is ready to receive you now." he said, flatly.

"Thank you again for inviting us, Sarek. I cannot thank you enough." my father said, holding up a Ta'al. "Live Long and Prosper, Ambassador Sarek. Take good care of our daughter."

Sarek inclined his head before reciprocating a Ta'al. "I can assure you that your daughter's safety and mental stability is secure with me."

"I still wish I hadn't been sick the entire time." My mother sighed, muffling another yawn. "What did you say it was again, Amanda?"

"You were overheated again," I said quickly, "and the doctor came by and give you some medicine to lower your body temperature before you had another heat stroke. Unfortunately, a side effect of that medicine caused you to sleep for two days."

I glanced at my father; a sly smile grazed the side of my lips. After an uncomfortable clearing of the throat, he quickly leaned down and picked up their bags beside him. "Perhaps next time, you will listen to your daughter and the Doctor."

I muffled a grin and wrapped my arms around them and pulled them in for another hug. "It's alright." I whispered. "Next time don't push yourself so much, and please let me know when you two-"

"Arrive home safely." They both finished. "We will, Amanda."

After a final kiss from them both, I watched as Sarek escorted them down the pathway and onto the vessel. Still maintaining a safe distance, I walked closer to the vessel to see them off and out of the corner of my eye I caught my father as he sat down by the window. Waving goodbye, tears continued to fall down my eyes.

Sitting down across from my father, I saw my mother wipe tears from her own cheeks as she waved.

It was a crazy couple of days, indeed. But they were my parents, and I wouldn't have changed a minute of it… well, perhaps the heat stroke part.

Memories of the visit flooded my mind as the ship began to move. I thought back to the night after Sarek, my father and I returned from dinner at the restaurant.

Unable to sleep, my father and I cuddled up on the sofa in the sitting room like we had done when I was little with my sister. With his PADD propped up, we watched our favourite movie 'A Bug's Life' as my head rested against his shoulder and his arm securely around me.

I thought of my mother's face when she was finally finished decorating the nursery, and the look of pure happiness on her face.

They had their flaws, but they were my parents and the only ones I will ever have.

I did not release Sarek was by my side until his soft hand brushed against my lower back. Resting my head against his shoulder we watched as the vessel rose from the ground and flew off into the mountains,

"Do you still wish for me to call the interior designer to change the child's living accommodations?" Sarek suddenly asked.

"Oooooh yeaaaaah" I muttered deeply, "Do you think they can come tomorrow?"

~*The End*~


End file.
